Sinn Féin want to stop Cork city area being called ‘Victorian Quarter’

Sinn Féin councillors have written to the city council’s chief executive, Valerie O’Sullivan, requesting the removal of the VQ ‘nickname’ for MacCurtain St and surrounding areas from the council minutes.

Cork City North West councillors Michelle Gould and Kenneth Collins have asked that Cork City Council correct the record and instruct all stakeholders to cease use of the term.

VQ, which stands for Victorian Quarter, was used by Fine Gael councillor Joe Kavanagh in a motion calling for additional Garda presence in the area, and an amendment by Sinn Féin to remove the term was voted down, with councillors suggesting the V stood for ‘vibrant’ rather than ‘Victorian’.

Ms Gould said: “I cannot believe that at Monday night’s [November 11] council meeting, councillors from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael refused to make a simple amendment to an important motion to remove the nickname ‘VQ’.

“This isn’t an official place in Cork city and renders an important motion on policing and safety completely meaningless." 

Beyond a joke

“To have councillors suggest that this stands for ‘Vibrant Quarter’ is beyond a joke. We all know that the VQ stems from the ‘Famine Queen’ and I cannot understand why any proud Cork person would want an area in our beautiful city named after someone who caused so much harm to our people.

“I find this deeply insulting to all those who sacrificed their lives for Irish freedom, particularly for the family of Tomás MacCurtain.

“We know that there are much bigger issues facing a lot of ordinary people at the minute. This shouldn’t even be a topic for discussion, but, as a proud and committed Republican, I cannot sit by and allow our heritage to be erased in this way.”

Mr Collins added: “Over three years ago now, Sinn Féin secured support for the renaming of Anglesea St, after another great patriot, Ard Mhéara of Cork.

“We are still waiting for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to bring forward the legislation to allow this to happen.

“We tried to do this through the proper channels, yet, apparently, a street named after one of Cork’s heroes can just be renamed on a whim.

“We have now, in the last week, seen this used by a Fine Gael councillor in a motion and by Fáilte Ireland in a policy document.

“Thomas Gould has written to Fáilte Ireland, requesting this be changed. We will fight every reference to this ridiculous name.”

Assurance

They said, in a letter to Ms O’Sullivan: “We have received previous assurance by Cork City Council that this historically insulting nickname would not be used in official documentation and would emphasise that the council minutes are an official record held by this proud organisation. We would also request that Cork City Council issue all relevant stakeholders, including Fáilte Ireland, with a reminder of their obligation to utilise official accurate place names to avoid confusion or insult.”

Asked about the issue, Shane Clarke, director of operations for the VQ, an organisation of businesses in the locality, told The Echo: “The VQ now has 65 business members and growing. Our focus is on building an entrepreneurial community that will help realise the potential of the neighbourhood, supporting more jobs, new business investment, great levels of public and active travel, and cleaner and safer streets.”